Let Me Out!
by cyancat
Summary: His life was secluded and hidden from the world. When he learns that it was all a scheme set up by his brother, Inuyasha must get out before its too late. AU Inu-Kag
1. Big Beginnings

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby acknowledge to all that stuff you have heard before and that you don't need to hear again since we all know it by heart. Takahashi-sama is the only one who can do that.

**Cyancat** () (\/)

**Let Me Out**

**Chapter One - Big Beginnings**

"Master Inuyasha!"

A little green toad imp hurried down the long corridor, pausing at every door to look inside before scuttling to the next.

"Why is it my job to find that insolent excuse for a demon every time he runs off?" He grumbled under his breath, for fear that someone might hear him. In the past he had learned to keep his words silent if not heard at all. There were too many times that he had been punished for a remark that he had made because dog demon ears reached farther than he thought.

"Jaken!"

He jumped at the sound of an angry voice calling out his name and scuttled to the staircase just a few feet away. Arriving at the top of the staircase, he saw the figure whom had called out his name and involuntarily shivered at what might happen. Sesshomaru stood at the front door, dressed grandly in a suit colored black with just a hint of purple to make it stand out with a tan trench coat thrown over his wide shoulders. His nearly thigh length silver locks stood out while his alabaster white skin framed burning amber eyes, which gave him a look of being in his early thirties. The look on his face was not good and Jaken gulped once before answering his master.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Haven't you found him yet?" Sesshomaru growled out.

"N-no, my lord. He is no where to be found. Please have mercy on this one." Jaken dropped to his knees and placed his head on the floor.

"Gods Jaken." Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. He needn't to do that every time. It was getting tiresome. "Fine, I'll go without him. Let the little pest see if I care. When he comes out of hiding, tell him I will be having a word with him once I return. He can't put off these functions every time. We are both expected to be there." Sesshomaru turned suddenly toward the door, his trench coat flaring out in a bold statement. He had just about closed the door, but paused and looked back up at the toad imp.

"Jaken."

He looked up from his place on the floor. "Yes my lord?"

"You do that again and I will kill you, got it?" Sesshomaru stated with a stoic face and closed the door.

Jaken stared at the closed front door where his master had once stood. "Yes, my lord." he stated with a quivering voice and flopped down on the floor.

"That pompous ass finally gone?"

Jaken's eyes popped open at the voice that he knew too well and let out a squawk in surprise. There glowered his twenty year old master, Inuyasha. He was dressed casually in a red shirt and black jeans. Silver hair fell to just below his waist while two ears flicked about on top of his head. Amber eyes, burning just as bright as his brothers, glared down at the green imp while a jesting smirk played on his lips. Jaken quickly stood and accosted his other master.

"Where have you been! Your brother is furious that you didn't go with him! You have a lot of explaining to do, Inuyasha!"

It didn't take a second for Inuyasha to thoroughly bash the imp repeatedly on the head before walking away, leaving the bruised toad behind, convulsing on the floor.

"Like I'm going to listen to some snotty little green turd telling me what to do." Inuyasha chided as he walked down the corridor. Shoving his hands into the back pockets of his pants, Inuyasha headed for his room. His bare feet slapping against the multi-color tiles of the hallway reverberated against the walls, making it sound like more than one person was walking down the hallway. Inuyasha sighed, for once he wished that there was someone else there. His life was so dreary here. It seemed like the only times he got out into Tokyo were when Sesshomaru dragged him out of the house, telling it was for their namesake that they be seen together at those functions.

Those functions, as Sesshomaru put it, were parties put on by business partners and business-hopefuls. At those times, they would both put a spell upon themselves that hid the demon within them, Inuyasha's ears and Sesshomaru's demon markings on his face and arms.

Inuyasha had been to too many to already know what was going to happen. The older men would talk business with Sesshomaru and then their daughters would make a bee-line straight for him. Inuyasha shivered at the thought of it. All those preening, self-important, princess-syndromed girls fawning all over him. Gods, it was worse than any torture made by man.

Arriving at his door, Inuyasha entered his domain. Here was every preoccupation imaginable to man. In his main room, there were game consoles and games of every kind, three computers, five televisions, a hi-fi stereo set complete with blow-out the walls speakers, a basketball net, pool table, a huge weight station, two huge couches, a recliner, and even a mini bar. There was everything and anything there to keep a person preoccupied for as long as it was needed. Inuyasha stared at the amass of items for a moment before turning and heading toward his bedroom. All that stuff was becoming a head-ache.

For as long as he could remember, he had everything that he could ever want as a kid. Toys beyond imagination and games without end. And it wasn't until now that he was really wondering why. He had never questioned his rich lifestyle and had taken it all for granted, but something was gnawing at him. Was there a reason for his brother to keep him cooped up inside the house, seemingly hidden away from the rest of the world?

"You know perfectly well that we were both supposed to go to that damned function! How are we supposed to keep up the grace of our names, of our father's name, if you don't show your face at these things?" Sesshomaru bellowed at his younger brother. The two stood in a dark den, a desk being the only thing that separated the two.

"You don't have those freaking girls hanging on your arm every minute! I do and you know I hated it!" Inuyasha leaned on the desk, pointing a finger at his fuming brother. "I went to every single one that you wanted me to go to and I didn't complain. Now I've had enough! I can't take it anymore. Let them hang all over you now!"

Sesshomaru stared at his brother for a moment before sitting down in the desk chair and put a hand to his temples. "Look, I hate these things just as much as you do. Do you think I like talking up those old farts and laughing at their ridiculous jokes? With plucky wives on their arm, winking at me every second they can? It's disgusting! But it's something we both must do! Father left the business to both of us and we both have to put up with what comes with it. Alright!"

Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru before slamming his fist on the desk and stalked away from the desk toward a couch and back again. "All you ever say is 'Father this' and 'Father that'! I never even knew the man and yet I have to deal with the shit he left behind! How is that fair?"

Inuyasha began pacing once more through the den. Sesshomaru watched him move about, contemplating his words. He cleared his throat, gaining Inuyasha's attention. "Fine, if that's what you want, I won't make you go to any more functions."

Inuyasha stared in amazement at his brother. "You're kidding. What's the catch?"

"Catch? Did I say anything about a catch?"

"Don't pull this shit with me Sesshomaru! I know you and you don't make deals without a catch! Now what is it?"

"You know me, huh? Fine then, choose one of those girls that keeps hanging on your arm to marry."

Disgust filled Inuyasha's face instantly and he shook his head with vigor. "No-no-no-no-no-NO! You can't make me do that! I could never take being married to one of those bitches, let alone be in the same room with them!"

"No? Then all I have left to offer is this. Since I have already been doing all the work for father's business, sign off your shares to me." Sesshomaru leaned back in his chair, clasping his fingers together. "Then I'll have total and complete control over Demon Industrial Enterprises. That's all you'd have to do and then you wouldn't have any reason to go to any more parties and be surrounded by horrendous girls. Is that good enough for you?"

"That's all I'd have to do? Give you my part of Dad's company?" Inuyasha stared quizzically at his relaxed brother.

Sesshomaru merely nodded his head, smiling to himself on the inside.

As morning broke and awakened the sleeping hanyo, Inuyasha sighed, wondering if he had made the right choice. Sesshomaru's lawyers would be here in a few days to make everything legal and binding, giving Sesshomaru full control of Demon Industrial Enterprises. Stretching out his arms out, he changed out of his sleeping pants to a white polo shirt and a pair of loose fitting black jeans. He exited his room and headed for the stairway and the kitchen were breakfast would be waiting. Passing by Sesshomaru's study, he stopped when he noticed the door was slightly open, revealing the figure of Sesshomaru standing with his back to the door, staring out a window, telephone to his ear. Inuyasha crept closer, his ears twitching to catch his conversation over the phone.

"Yes, I got him to agree to it. It took twenty years to do it, but the company will finally be mine...No, no, he thinks it's in the best interests of the company that I take care of it...Yes, keeping him here at home has helped. He doesn't know how important he really is...It was a genius idea to keep him away from the public eye, now no one will be the wiser...Good, we'll see you in a few days then... Thank you."

Inuyasha bolted away from the door as Sesshomaru placed the phone back in its cradle. What in the hell was going on? He was important to the company? But all he did was stay at home. How was that important? Swiftly he made it downstairs and to the kitchen, where the head cook stood with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot in irritation.

"Morning, Haruko-baba." He said, sheepishly, knowing he was in some kind of trouble with the old woman.

"Don't you 'Morning, Haruko-baba' me, young man. What did I tell you about using the kitchen at night?" She waggled a finger at him. She was nearly a foot shorter than Inuyasha, but made up for it in attitude.

Inuyasha shrugged. "The toaster isn't an oven?"

"Wrong. I've told you time and time again, clean up after yourself! Do you think it makes my job any easier to find the kitchen covered in boxes, wrappers, and gods know what else! Dirty spoons on the counter, who knows what in the garbage disposal, dirty plates all over, that is if you even use a plate, and you expect me to clean that up every morning! I've had enough of your midnight eating rampages! I'm going to start locking up the kitchen at nights just so that I know everything will be there in the morning!"

"Sorry." Inuyasha ears laid back at the scolding he received as he apologized. It wasn't good, but it was a usual thing from her. Nothing made her happy. Slowly she turned to give him room into the kitchen and he bolted inside, hungrier than ever.

As he ferociously at away at a plate of scrambled eggs, followed by two plates of sausage and bacon, Inuyasha contemplated his brother's words. Then, as if he knew that he was being pondered, Sesshomaru swept into the kitchen grabbing a coffee cup and filling it up at the machine.

Haruko turned to watch him and huffed. "Don't you ever eat? You're going to waste away, drinking only coffee for breakfast every morning."

Sesshomaru looked at the old cook once before turning and walking out of the room, cup in hand. "Coffee is all that I need." He stated and was gone, out the front door.

"By the gods, if I ever see him eat, it'll be the death of me." Haruko remarked before turning back toward the forgotten food on the stove.

"Haruko-baba?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"How long have you worked here?" He asked between mouthfuls.

"Oh, I guess about thirty years or so. I was here to see your father meet your mother, I helped out when you were born, and I was in charge of the kitchen when your father passed away months after. Terrible day it was."

He swallowed a lump of eggs and paused his feeding frenzy. "Do you know anything about the company my father left to Sesshomaru and me?"

Haruko turned to look at Inuyasha, a puzzled expression on her face. "What in the world brought this about?"

"Well, I decided to learn more about my father's company, since he did leave part of it to me. I figured that I had better learn more about it." He said innocently, trying not to raise her suspicions.

Haruko rolled her eyes and pulled up a chair at the dinner table where Inuyasha sat. She eyed him for a bit, then leaned back and heaved a sigh. "Well, I don't actually know how he started it, but once he met your mother, it really took off. You have this house now, thanks to your father, but umm...he never really did specify what his company did. I remember him talking about something that involved you once you were born. Oh how did it go? Something about you turning twenty one or was it about you being a hanyo? Gods, I know I had it... Well, maybe I'll remember it later, hun. Now eat up."

Haruko got up from her seat and tapped Inuyasha lightly on the shoulder, showing him a grand smile. She headed out of the kitchen and into the walk-in pantry. Inuyasha watched her go, seriously mulling over her words. Things weren't adding up. Sesshomaru's phone conversation and what Haruko told him, it was just too little information. There had to be more. And there was only one more person to talk to. Myoga-jiji.

When Haruko took the final plate from Inuyasha's place, he thanked her and rushed off toward the den. Once inside, he seated himself at the desk and started rifling through the roll-o-dex. Sesshomaru called Myoga many times every month for consultations on demon affairs and it had to be the only way that he would get any information. No one else knew anything or else wouldn't say anything.

It took six rings before someone actually answered the phone. The voice was gruff and Inuyasha wondered if it was the right number.

"Who is it?" The voice mumbled.

"Myoga-jiji?" Inuyasha questioned.

There was a long pause on the other line. "Sesshomaru-sama?" Came a quaking voice.

"No. It's not Sesshomaru. It's Inuyasha. Is this Myoga?"

"Inuyasha? Is that really you? I haven't talked to you in years. Wha-what are you doing calling me?"

"I need some information, but you need to keep quiet about this, alright?"

"It depends on the information, young master. Your brother would surely kill me if he knew that I gave you vital information, but I will try my best."

"I don't need your best, I need your word, as a demon, that you will not tell my brother about this. Can you give me that?"

Another long pause drifted through the phone line. "I give you my word, young master. What is it that you need to know?"

"Was there something about my father's business that had to do with me? Either when I turn twenty-one or the fact that I'm a hanyo?"

Myoga began a startled cough which reverberated over the line. "Wha-where did you get this kind of information!"

"Don't worry about that. Look, Sesshomaru got me to agree to sign off my shares of Dad's company to him, giving the whole company's control to him."

"Gods, your father would be furious."

"At me?"

"No! Not you, your brother. I never thought that he'd go this far. You haven't signed it away to him yet, have you?"

"No, no, we're supposed to do that in a few days. Myoga, tell me what's going on!"

"Inuyasha, you need to get out of the house very, very soon. The reason they kept you at home your whole life was because they needed to keep you hidden. If they found out that you know about this, he'll make sure you stay hidden!"

"I'd like to see him try! If he even comes near me, I'll take him out!"

"Stop right there! You do not know what your brother is capable of! He could kill you within the blink of an eye. His power is unimaginable and you can't compete with that, even if you are brothers. Are you listening, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, I got ya." He said with a deep sigh. "But I still don't understand anything about Dad's company since you haven't told me a single thing!"

"Young master, please believe me, it is better that you didn't know for now. Right now, get ready to leave the house, but don't tell a soul about it. You are to be as discreet as possible. Pack clothes and a few necessities, that's all. Now, do you know of a time that Sesshomaru will be out of the house?"

Inuyasha searched his brain. "Well, I think he has another function coming up tomorrow night."

"Very good. Once he leaves, call me and I will send a car to get you. They will bring you to a shrine. Go up the stairs and go straight into the house. The resident miko will be waiting for you there. Stay there until I come for you, understand?"

Inuyasha nodded his head to the phone. "Yes. I got it, Myoga. But are you sure about this? Am I really in this much danger?"

"As sure as my life depends upon it, young master. There is more than business going on here and your brother is the center of it all. Now, get ready!"

The line suddenly went dead and Inuyasha was left staring at the phone in his hand.

The rest of the day, Inuyasha secluded himself inside his room. He had found a small travel bag and packed as many clothes and items as possible into it. Then after stowing it under his bed, he tried to distract himself with his games. It was something for his hands to do. After all, he felt like he wanted to wring his brother's neck and choke the life out of him for what he was trying to do. Hell, he didn't even know all the details and still he was angrier than he had ever felt before.

Thankfully, no one came to check on him that night either, but Inuyasha was sure that Sesshomaru would come in to check on him at least once before leaving for the party the next day. The next morning, Inuyasha made sure that Sesshomaru was gone for work before heading down for breakfast. He was silent as he ate away the six plates of heaping food before him. He knew Haruko noticed his sudden change in demeanor, but made himself swallow his words with his food. If he even said one word to her, she'd figure out something was up even before he knew it.

Then again he spent the remainder of his day in his room, preoccupied with a PS2 boxing game. Over and over he punched the buttons, knocking out his virtual opponent. All he had to do was visualize Sesshomaru's face on the fighter and it was all over. He was so worked up in beating the game, he didn't notice his brother enter the room, until a deep voice cleared its throat. Inuyasha stopped instantly, prompting himself to not look surprised. Throwing the controller down, he slowly turned to gaze at his elegantly dressed brother.

"What do you want now, Sesshomaru?"

"You've got quite a bit of steam worked up there. Anything I know about?" He pointed towards the television screen.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Nah, I'm just getting tired of the game, that's all. Wanted to go all out. What are you doing in my room? Don't you have a 'function' to go to?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you didn't want to go. There'll be lots of young girls there, you know."

Inuyasha made a show with a disgusted look on his face. "No freaking way! I made a deal with you and I'm sticking with it. I ain't going to any more of those functions of yours. Go by yourself!"

Sesshomaru smirked at his brother's reaction. "If you insist, I will go alone."

It took every bit of Inuyasha's strength to hold him back from attacking his brother. He watched with brazen eyes as Sesshomaru swept out of his room, silver hair flowing behind him. He sat quietly as he listened to his brother's footsteps become weaker and weaker, then the front door closing. He let out a rushed sigh of relief and quickly left his room, heading for the den. Once there, he made sure that Sesshomaru was gone, checking out the window for his limo. It wasn't there, good. Fetching the number once more, Inuyasha called Myoga while his ears twitched nervously, listening for anything out of the blue. Again after six rings, the phone was finally picked up.

"Young master, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me Myoga. He just left."

"Good, good. I'll be sending a taxi at once. Be ready at the door."

As promised, a dark blue car pulled up to the front door not ten minutes later. Inuyasha eyed the car warily at first, but acting on Myoga's direction, got inside. The driver took off without a word and made his way onto the highway. Half an hour later, the cab stopped at a tall stair of steps. The driver merely nodded his head toward the stairs. Gulping once, Inuyasha exited the cab and high-tailed it up the stairs taking twenty at a time. Remembering his instructions, Inuyasha turned himself toward the main house and headed toward the front door.

When he was almost there, almost by seven feet, the door suddenly slammed open and an old woman peered out from the brightly lit room.

"You Inuyasha?" she questioned, settling herself in the doorway.

He blinked a few times in disbelief at the old woman before answering. "Yeah, I am. You the miko?"

She stiffened up a bit, straightening her 5 foot height and crossing her arms. "I am, but you are to call me Kaede. For what I am doing, you had better show some respect young man."

She stepped aside and bade him to enter. Inuyasha obeyed, bowing his head to the old woman as he entered the house. It was going to be a long night, he thought to himself.


	2. You Wanna Do What!

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby acknowledge to all that stuff you have heard before and that you don't need to hear again since we all know it by heart. Takahashi-sama is the only one who can do that.

**Cyancat** (\/)

**Let Me Out**

**Chapter Two - You Wanna Do What?**

The night had been confusing and torture all at the same time for Inuyasha. His mind reeled at the few facts that he knew about his brother and even if those were true. There had been something underlying about Sesshomaru and he had never seen it. What was his life if even the things he knew as a child were false? The only person he knew was his brother. There were no memories of his father since he had died months after he was born and the memories of his mother–they were small and fading every day. Sesshomaru was all he had and now it was gone within a night.

Kaede had given him a room to stay in for the night, but he couldn't sleep. He only stared out into the starry sky and pondered the day's events. Before he knew it, the sun had risen and so had Kaede.

"Inuyasha!" He heard her voice call out from the hallway leading to his room. "Please come to the dining room."

Grumbling under his breath, Inuyasha lethargically got up from his place by the window and headed to the directed destination.

As he entered the room, he saw Kaede sitting at the dining table while sipping a cup of tea, but there was another presence to the room, yet he couldn't see it.

"Inuyasha-sama! You're looking well this morning." Called out a thin voice from the empty space of the room.

Quickly scanning the room, his eyes finally spotted a small dot jumping up and down on the table before Kaede. His eyes bugged at the thought of who it might be.

"M-Myoga-jiji?" He questioned, not believing what he was seeing.

"Who else could I be?" Replied the small flea demon and stopped his jumping to sip from a small cup.

"Its-it's just that I never expected you to be so-so..."

"Small? Yes, I am tiny. It comes with the territory, being a flea demon and all."

Inuyasha slumped down in a chair and stared intently at Myoga, still not believing it. He had never seen someone so small, nor imagined that the voice over the phone that he had talked to so many times belonged to this-this tiny little insect.

Kaede broke his intense stare with a throaty-cough, gaining his attention once more. "We've been talking about you, Inuyasha." She commented before sipping her tea.

He shook his head clear of his disbelief and looked to Kaede. "About me? Like what?"

"Like what we are to do about you and your...predicament." She sipped again.

"My predicament?" He slid his chair back in anger. "Hell, I don't know what's going on, yet it seems like everyone else knows! What's going on that I don't know about? What's Sesshomaru up to!"

Myoga and Kaede exchanged glances before turning back to the hanyo.

"I'm sorry, my lord, but we cannot tell you those things yet. Believe me, it will be more harmful to you to know all the facts. We will tell you, but only in time."

Inuyasha snorted and crossed his arms with a 'keh!' "You treat me like I'm a kid!"

"In this world, you are a child, Inuyasha!" Kaede commented. "There are far bigger things than you in this world and you better begin to live with it."

Inuyasha shot her an angry glare, which was countered with one of her own.

"Anyway," She continued. "We were talking about what to do with you. Due to the circumstances, you can't stay here much longer."

"Why not? I thought that it was the plan for me to stay here?"

"No, not here." Myoga corrected him with a laugh. "You misunderstood me. I brought you here because I know that Sesshomaru wouldn't think to look for you here first. Plus, the barrier surrounding the shrine would keep him away for now, until we find you a more suitable place."

"A more suitable place? Just where are we talking about?" Inuyasha's ears perked to catch Myoga's answer.

"It's not definite, but we are making arrangements for you to have an apartment in Kofu."

"Kofu! That's ridiculous! Why are you sending me there!"

"Actually it's to a small city outside of Kofu, but it's quiet, out of the way, and a safe haven for you." Kaede remarked, a grim line of a smile on her lips. "With a few changes, Sesshomaru won't even recognize you."

"Changes?" Inuyasha didn't like the sound of that word. "Like what?"

Kaede eyed him a moment before nodding back at Myoga. "Myoga, he's going to need a delsemtian as well."

"A del-what?"

"My lord, in basic words, a delsemtian is a potion that literally changes your, ahem, scent. Your brother knows you too well and it won't be long before he follows the trail. It was hard enough getting that taxi covered in delsemtian as it is and we can't mess it up like this."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, no, not at all, my lord. It's just that the taste is very...pungent."

"Then there's the matter of his hair and eyes." Quipped Kaede, pointing to Inuyasha's twitching ears. "Those need to be changed as well."

Inuyasha recoiled, jumping out of his seat and backing against the wall. "You wanna do what to my ears!"

Kaede rolled her eyes and waved a hand at him. "Calm down. It's not like we want to cut them off or something, gods. You just need a more permanent spell to cover them up."

Myoga cleared his throat. "And his hair? Should we use a spell as well?"

Kaede sized up the hanyo for a moment. "We'll need to dye it and probably cut it to half its length. Not many people, or men walk around with waist length hair these days."

Inuyasha approached the table in record time and slammed his hand upon the table. "No! You're not cutting my hair! I don't care what you say, no one's touching it!"

Kaede looked to Myoga, who merely nodded his head at the old woman. Instantly she had a hold of his left ear and pulled him along as she headed toward the bathroom.

"HEY, STOP! That hurts! Stop it, stop it, stop it! Ye-ouch!" Complained the young hanyo as Kaede twisted his ear in frustration.

Nearly throwing him into the bathroom, she followed after and slammed the door shut behind her. There was more yelling from Inuyasha, sounding more and more like a dog backed into a corner. Suddenly he was out of the bathroom and running down the hall at full speed.

"Ne Corum Dempari Hasut!" Yelled out Kaede's shrill voice from the bathroom.

Inuyasha stopped instantly, his body somehow frozen solid as stone. His eyes were wild, darting back and forth. "What the hell!" He forced out through clenched teeth. "What the hell did you do to me obaba!"

"Nothing compared to what I really want to do with you!" She yelled back, making her way toward his prone form. "This is for your own good."

Circling around him, she squinted at his menacing eyes. She pulled up a chair and sat before him, staring back with growing agitation for the young hanyo.

"Don't look so angry, Inuyasha. It was only a paralyzing spell and not a strong one at that. I'm surprised that you had succumbed to it. Now are you going to sit still and let me do my job?"

Inuyasha let out a snort. "Yeah, right! Once I get out of this, you are in so much trouble!"

"On the contrary, that spell doesn't wear off. You could stand like that for a few days, you know. How would you like that, hmm?"

Inuyasha's eyes looked away from Kaede's angered face. "I wouldn't." He grumbled out.

"I figured that. Now, are you going to let me do my job? Or do things have to get more drastic?"

"No, damn it. I'll do what you want." His spirit was bent, not broken, but he knew when he had been overpowered.

Kaede's face spread with a malicious grin. "Good. Then let's get to work. Myoga, get the delsemtian ready!"

An hour later, Inuyasha sat on the living room floor as Kaede cut through his thick silver mane. He grumbled under his breath, but kept it to himself for fear of being frozen again. Slowly but surely, he felt his head become lighter as his hair was clipped away to shoulder length. One last clip and Kaede sat back in relief.

"There. I'm finally done." She said, marveling her handiwork.

Inuyasha shook his head, getting a feel for his new hairdo. "It doesn't feel right." He commented.

"That's because no one's ever cut your hair before. Your hair was a wreck, you know. It's a wonder that you can manage life with hair that long, half-demon or not." Kaede stood up and headed down the hall, motioning for him to follow. "Now for Step 2."

"Step 2?" He questioned, his voice wavering slightly as he stood up.

Kaede turned and nodded her head at him. "Of course. We've got to dye it as well."

Inuyasha let out an aggravated groan and unhappily followed the old woman into the bathroom.

After an hour of grumbles, groans, and retorts, Inuyasha exited the bathroom with his bright silver hair dyed to a shining jet black. He kept fingering his hair and grumbling under his breath, as it was not a welcome change, not at all. The fact that he only had to deal with his human side once a month, it was discouraging enough to have to now look like that every waking minute! Slumping down into a chair, Inuyasha glared daggers at the old miko who sat down across from him.

"Anything else you wanna do to me? Put me in a dress and call me Mimi?" He growled at her.

Kaede leaned forward on the table. "We could if you want."

"NO! NO, don't you know when a man is joking! Don't even think about trying it!" He made a fist and waved it at Kaede, trying to look menacing.

Kaede laughed to herself and shook her head at the gullible hanyo. "I hardly would begin to even think that you could pull off being a girl, much less wearing a dress. You're safe...for now."

Inuyasha's face visibly paled at the thought of being put through that, so he decided to keep his mouth shut for now.

"What in the hell did you put in that stuff!" Inuyasha balked as he finished drinking the delsemtian. It had been a bright gold color, much like orange juice. Inuyasha didn't think much of it, but when the liquid touched his tongue, it triggered an instant hate of the fluid. His face puckered like a prune and he had to mentally keep himself from retching. "Gods, it's the worst thing I've ever drank!"

He kept smacking his mouth, trying to rid himself of the awful taste. Kaede and Myoga watched him with laughing faces, as it was a sight to see. Inuyasha glared at them with growing anger and threw the cup into the kitchen.

"You think it's so funny, you drink it!"

Myoga jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder from the table. "Don't mind us, my lord. Now do you feel any different?"

"Do I feel different?" Inuyasha took a moment to stretch out his arms and take a few deep breaths. He shook his head. "No, not really. Am I supposed to?"

"Well, there should be a sense of tingling throughout the body. Are you sure you don't feel anything?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Nope."

Myoga thought for a moment, taking a seat on Inuyasha's shoulder. "What am I forgetting?" He pondered out loud. Suddenly his head snapped up. "Ah ha! I almost forgot! Pressure points!"

Myoga quickly jumped to the table and ordered Inuyasha to lay his left hand on the table, palm up. Inuyasha complied with his command, yet was wary as to why it was needed. Myoga motioned for Kaede to take his hand, since he was too small himself for the job, and told her the specific instructions for the pressure point.

"Now, I will need to take a sample of Inuyasha's blood right before you do your job. Once I am done, you bend his hand up, place three fingers at the juncture of his wrist, and as you lay his hand back down, twist your fingers in a clock-wise manner and push down for five seconds. That should trigger the potion."

Kaede rolled her eyes. "Yes, we know, Myoga! You've told me that five times now. Can we get on with it?"

Myoga merely nodded his head at the miko, before jumping onto Inuyasha's shoulder, obviously put off by her remark. Grasping a hold on Inuyasha's neck, he did what every flea and mosquito wanted to do. As a reflex action, Inuyasha's right hand came up and smacked Myoga flat against his neck. He grinned evilly at Kaede, but it quickly changed to a cringe as Kaede did her job and jabbed her fingers into his wrist. Myoga slowly floated down to the table and popped back into his original shape a moment later. Both Kaede and Myoga leaned back to watch Inuyasha's reaction. Though all he could do was stare back at them. He felt no different except for the slight pain in his wrist from Kaede's fingers.

Both turned their back to Inuyasha and began to confer between themselves. Inuyasha sighed to himself, wondering why he had even agreed to his whole thing. His life was ruined and nothing was going right. Maybe it would have been better to let Sesshomaru do what he wanted to do.

Instantly Inuyasha's eyes sprung wide in surprise as he felt a deep warmth flow through him. It flared once, twice, three times through him before silencing. He sighed, relived the potion had worked. Opening his mouth to tell Kaede and Myoga, a lava hot burst shot through his body, flowing through every crevice imaginable and nearly made smoke plume from his ears, leaving him feeling more or less like charcoal.

Myoga turned to ask Inuyasha a question, but stopped in mid-word. "Is...everything okay, young lord?"

Inuyasha forced his still aching eyes to look at Myoga and growled a reply. "Do I look okay! For your information, that damned potion works just fine! Because a freaking volcano just blew up inside of me!"

The bus ride from Tokyo was long and painful for the young hanyo as he sat and stared out the window, watching the scenery fly by. Kaede and Myoga had put him on the bus with detailed instructions to meet their associate in Kofu. There he would be directed to the apartment they had secured for him. Inuyasha groaned inwardly, hoping that the bus would move quicker as a young child squalled its anger two seats behind him. His ears flattened against his head, trying to deny its entry into his head, but the child cried out again and Inuyasha gave up on it.

Looking to the window again, he did a double take seeing his new appearance. He had stared at himself for an hour before he left, but he still couldn't believe that it was him staring back. Coal jet black hair hung down to just around his shoulders, layered for a more hip look. Whatever hip look Kaede was looking for, Inuyasha would never know. He stared into violet eyes, blinking once to make sure they were his and watched his reflection in wonder. Raising a hand, he touched the place where his ears would have been if he had been human but felt nothing except hair. Dropping his hand back down, his fingers brushed against the necklace Kaede had given him. Picking up a purple bead between his fingers, he rolled it around, pondering how the insignificant item could cast such a spell as to mask both his golden eyes and dog ears.

"Here," Kaede said the next day to him, hours before he was put on the bus. She placed a bead necklace in his hands and stepped back, a satisfactory smile on her face.

Inuyasha had looked at the necklace for a moment, inspecting the purple beads interrupted by a collection of white fangs, then held it back out to Kaede. "Sorry, but I DON'T wear necklaces."

Kaede shoved it back at him. "You do now." She corrected.

Inuyasha shoved it back at Kaede again. "Look, I don't need to wear some girly bead necklace. I'm good on my own!"

Kaede, in a final act of desperation, grabbed the necklace and slammed it over Inuyasha's head. Grabbing his shoulders, she turned him round and made him look into a hall mirror. Inuyasha jumped back in recoil at the new face staring back at him. Somehow he had violet eyes and his dog ears were gone, replaced by human ones. He pointed to the new face.

"How is this possible? What did you do to me!"

Kaede sighed once before yanking the necklace back off Inuyasha's head, letting the hanyo side show through again. "Look, it's just a spell to keep you hidden. I haven't done anything to you. It masks your eyes, fangs, and more importantly, your ears." Kaede shoved the necklace back on him. "You are going to be living like this for a while. You can't expose yourself and let your brother find you, just because of a few minor technicalities. We had to cover all the bases. Now, you had better get used to looking like that, who knows how long you're going to have to live like this."

Inuyasha sighed once more, remembering Kaede's words. He wasn't happy about it, having to live, looking like this. But it was even worse that she told him that he'd have to get his hair dyed monthly. Somehow silver roots and black ends didn't match, she told him, so he'd have to either dye it himself or go to a salon. His choice. How degrading enough was this, that he had to do regular up keep of his false hair color? One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to a salon, no way in HELL was he gonna take a step into one of those places.

"Next stop, Kofu Station. Next stop, Kofu Station."

Inuyasha's head titled up to stare at the loudspeaker and began to think through his instructions once more. He was to meet a man at the Kofu bus station, but what was his name again? Dammit! Now he'd forgotten!

"Now arriving at Kofu Station. Please be ready to exit the bus."

Once the bus stopped, Inuyasha followed the flow of passengers off the bus and into the station. Eyes darting back and forth, he kept searching his mind for the person's name he was supposed to meet. Damn, why did he have to be so stupid!

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha's head snapped to look to his left, where the unknown voice had come from. A man, around his early thirties, walked toward him waving a hand in greeting with laughter playing on his lips. He had short light blonde hair and a round face. The clothes he wore resembled those of a school teachers.

"Who wants to know?" He said cautiously.

"You're supposed to meet me, remember? I'm Brian Shepard." He offered his hand in greeting.

"Brian?" 'Was that right?' he thought to himself, repeating the name over a few times. Looking down at Brian's offered hand once before looking back to his smiling face, Inuyasha decided that the name had to be right. He quickly took his hand and accepted the greeting. "How'd you know it was me?"

"Kaede gave me a 'brief' overview of what you looked like, plus," Brian pointed to Inuyasha's necklace, "No one else willingly wears a necklace like that."

The two men laughed at Brian's remark, easing some tension between them. After a few more moments of talk between them, Brian directed Inuyasha to follow him and the two made their way to the parking lot.

"So where am I supposed to live here?" Inuyasha asked as they got into Brian's small champagne colored Nissan.

"Well, you're actually not living here. This is kinda like a side-track. This way if anyone looks for you, they look for you in Kofu. You, young man, are going to be living in Ichikawa-daimon."

Inuyasha raised a skeptical eyebrow at Brian.

"Don't give me that look. Ichikawa-daimon is a very quaint place. It's small and out of the way. Kaede had the right idea about bringing you here."

"How in the world do you know Kaede, anyway?"

"She used to work at the shrine in Ichikawa until about two years ago. My wife, Yoshika, and I were married at that temple right before she left. She's stayed in touch over the years and we've...helped her out on different situations."

"Situations like me?"

"Kinda. I usually help her relocate beaten wives, abused children, you know, the stuff that needs this kind of attention. Not to say that you don't need it, just that there are problems that can't be solved with words."

Inuyasha merely nodded his head in agreement and stared out the car window as Brian drove them toward his new home, Ichikawa-daimon.


	3. What A Neighbor!

**Disclaimer:** I do hereby acknowledge to all that stuff you have heard before and that you don't need to hear again since we all know it by heart. Takahashi-sama is the only one who can do that.

**Cyancat** (\/)

**Let Me Out**

**Chapter Three – What A Neighbor!

* * *

**

An hour later, the pair arrived before a large five story red brick building. Inuyasha merely stared at the structure as Brian got out and rounded the car. Inuyasha grimaced his dislike of the place and begrudging followed Brian inside.

Taking the elevator to the fourth floor, Brian stopped at a door marked 4E in bright brass lettering, though the E hung crookedly. Inuyasha frowned more at the shoddy look of the place, which made Brian just smile more at him.

"Looks can be deceiving, Inuyasha. From now on and until future notice, this is your apartment." Brian dug into his jacket pocket and retrieved a set of keys. The keys jangled as he began to unlock the door.

"My apartment?" Inuyasha squawked. "What are you talking about? I thought I was going to live with you."

Brian straightened to look at Inuyasha with a puzzled face. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know. I just figured that I was going to live with someone. I mean, Kaede sent me here, so I figured…"

Opening the door to the apartment, Brian shook his head. "Sorry, but that wasn't the plan. Yoshika and I only place people in homes for themselves; we don't take them into our own house." He gestured toward the room. "Look, I'll show you the basics of the place, but that's all I can offer you right now."

Inuyasha snorted at his reply, irritated more at the fact that no one had even told him what was happening until now, but followed Brain inside nonetheless.

Inuyasha's first glance at the apartment was horrid and the second was terrible. It was meager, to say the least, compared to his old room at Sesshomaru's house. Suddenly he actually missed that bastard and his house, for a moment.

There was a small living room supplied with a couch, a coffee table and a small television. The kitchen had a sink, a mini fridge, and a portable table top burner along with a dining table. Inuyasha sullenly watched Brain walk over to a door and open it wide to view its contents.

"This is the bedroom. The next door down is your own bath and toilet. I figured that since you lived your whole life in that house, you've never been to a public bath, so it would be easier for you to have your own bath than start going out." Brian scratched the back of his head, trying to make sure he didn't forget anything. "Other than that, the place is all yours until every thing calms down at your old home."

Inuyasha scoffed at the idea. "Keh! Yeah, like that's gonna happen any time soon."

Making his way for the front door, Brian stopped in mid-step, snapping his fingers together in recollection. He turned back to Inuyasha, pulling a manila envelope out his jacket pocket.

"Knew I was forgetting something. This is all that you're going to need for living here, at least for a while. There's residency papers, an I.D., and some money. There's enough to live off of for a while but you'll have to go and get a job soon." Brain dropped it in Inuyasha's hands. "There are some phone numbers for you to call if you need help. There's also a map of town which you should learn by heart and oh, you should know… we've changed your name to Yasha Takamura."

"Yasha? Are you kidding me!" He balked at the sound of it.

"Well, Kaede had this funny idea about calling you Mimi…" Brain remarked, confused as to why Kaede had even thought of that name.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock for a moment and he let out a groan. "Fine, call me whatever you want."

Brain smiled as he dropped the set of keys into Inuyasha's hand. "Good call."

Bidding him good-bye, Brian left the poor hanyo standing alone in the stark blank apartment.

Inuyasha looked down at the keys in his left hand and the envelope in his right, wondering what the heck he had gotten himself into.

"A job?" he scoffed. "How the heck am I supposed to get a job!"

Walking over to the couch, he plopped on the couch only to shriek in surprise. He jumped up and looked at the bleak yellow couch where something had just bit his butt. Rubbing the attacked area on his posterior, Inuyasha spied a thin piece of metal poking out from the cushion. Cursing loudly, he grabbed the cushion and threw it against the wall.

"Damn apartment!" he yelled. "I hate this place already!"

* * *

After looking the place over a few times, Inuyasha decided that he needed to get out and at least buy a few necessities. Pocketing the roll of money from the envelope, Inuyasha stepped out of the apartment and locked it behind him, wondering if it was even worth the effort.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he made his way to the elevator and waited for the lift to arrive. After several moments, the machine dinged, signaling its arrival and the doors opened swiftly. Instead of stepping on, Inuyasha only stared straight ahead at the figure in the lift. He stood motionless, staring at this form of beauty that appeared out of nowhere, eyes wide in wonder and amazement. She had been leaning against the back of the lift, bored with the elevator ride apparently. Her long raven black locks surrounded her rosy oval face. Large brown eyes stared back at him, trying to figure out what he was doing. She wore a spaghetti strap green dress that fell to just above her knees. It didn't cling to her, but it was good enough for Inuyasha's eyes.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, uncomfortable by Inuyasha's bold gaze.

"Are you getting on, or what?" She commented, killing the deathly silence.

His mouth opened and closed like a fish, before nodding dumbly and getting on. She skittered to the opposite side of the elevator as he turned around, already weirded out by him.

Inuyasha stared at the doors as they closed and then locked the two inside the little room. With a grunt it started and started its descent once more. Inuyasha glanced once over at the girl before looking back at the floor.

"Sorry about that." He mumbled.

"Oh, you talk now? Funny, it looked like you were a deaf mute." She commented crossly.

He turned to glare at her, opening his mouth to retort. Meeting her brown eyes, he faltered, but caught himself before he could stumble. "Look!... I'm just not good at interacting with people, alright? I just moved in and I'm just a little on edge. I said I'm sorry and I meant it. Okay?"

She scrutinized him for a second, contemplating if he was truthful or not. "You just moved in? In what room?"

"4E. Why? You live here too?"

"Yeah, just below you in 3E. Weird."

Inuyasha nodded in agreement. The lift dinged once more as it stopped at the third floor. "This is my floor." She stated quietly. With the doors open, she stepped out of the elevator, but turned around suddenly. "Hey, what's your name?"

"I…Yasha, I'm Yasha."

"Yasha, huh? Well, I'm Kagome." She turned with a wave to the black haired boy. She called over her shoulder as she walked away. "See you later neighbor."

Inuyasha didn't reply, but watched her walk down the hallway, watching even as the doors closed, staring through the quickly narrowing space until the doors slammed shut.

'Oh, what a neighbor!' He thought to himself. What had he been missing, living all those years at Sesshomaru's? Apparently a lot, after seeing that girl.

* * *

With Kagome's image still in his head, Inuyasha walked down the sidewalk, taking in the scenery. It was a lot different than home, less crowded and you could really see the mountains in the background. He passed shops where the owners waved at him in greeting and he waved back. Every once and a while, he'd stop and look behind him, searching for something, but shake his head and start walking again. Every time he stopped, he had a weird feeling that Sesshomaru was behind him, watching.

Stopping in front of a store on the street corner, he studied the area around him. A park was just down the road on his right, more apartment housing across from the park, and more small shops to his right. It seemed like a nice place to live in, better than he'd ever imagined living outside the house.

Like the wind, a young boy ran past Inuyasha, just grazing his arm. He stared after the boy running down the road, wondering why he had taken off like that.

"Hey, stop that boy!" yelled out a voice from the store.

Looking behind him, Inuyasha saw a young man around his twenties with his black hair pulled back in a ponytail running out the front door. He wore a black t-shirt and brown pants, covered mostly by the purple apron he wore over them. Seeing the distress in his face, Inuyasha turned toward the boy and set off after him. Not even thinking about hiding his demon abilities or anything else that Kaede had told him, Inuyasha sprinted faster toward the young boy, running through the crowds. It didn't take him every long to catch up to the child, only a few seconds, and then set himself running alongside the boy.

"You're pretty fast for your age." He commented with a smirk at the kid.

The shock was evident in the child's face, seeing someone running beside him. Determination filled his eyes and he turned suddenly, skittering through a narrow passage between two buildings. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and followed after him. He leaped easily over the blockage in the alley the child had run into, running as soon as his feet his pavement. Again he found the child quickly, but now the kid was panting for breath and clutching a box to his chest. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he approached him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He yelled at the breathless boy.

His head snapped up at the sound of Inuyasha's voice, eyes wide with shock. "Who are you and what do you want?" He yelled at Inuyasha's approaching form.

"Thieves don't get the privilege to know who I am! What did you steal from that store?"

"I didn't steal anything!"

"Then what's in the box?" Inuyasha pointed to the large silver box clutched to the boy's chest.

"This is mine!" He clutched it closer to him.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Right, now hand it over before I take it away." He held out his hand. The child merely glared at him.

"No, I'm not giving it to you!"

"No? Look you've got three seconds," He held up three fingers. "Three seconds to give up the box or else you're toast!"

"Forget about it! I'm not giving it to you!" The boy tried to bolt away, but Inuyasha caught him by the scruff of his shirt and held him in the air.

"Like I said, three seconds to give it up. Don't make me take it away."

The child clutched the box tighter and put up a determined look.

* * *

Miroku had just opened his store when that kid tried to steal one of his most treasured pieces. He stood in the doorway, watching with amazement in his eyes as the man who'd been standing on the corner took after the kid like lightning. Damn, he was fast! He wasn't surprised to see that it wasn't long before the stranger was walking back toward the store with the child in tow and the box under his arm. Miroku let out a sigh of relief. Thank the Gods he caught him!

Putting his hands on his hips, Miroku watched them approach.

"Well, Kohaku, what do you have to say for yourself?" Miroku stated angrily as the tall man pushed the boy forward.

Kohaku looked at Miroku without a touch of regret in his eyes. "I didn't do anything wrong! You told me I could have it!"

"When you're older!" Miroku reminded him. "You're only eleven! Until you're older and you know how to properly use it, you can't have the sickle blade."

"Don't treat me like a baby! I know how to use it! Sango's been teaching me!"

"Yes, she has, but you still have a lot to learn. Now get ready for school or you'll be late." Miroku stepped aside for Kohaku to pass by.

Still glaring angrily at Miroku, Kohaku stalked into the store and up a flight of stairs next to the counter. Watching after him, Miroku sighed once before turning back to the helpful stranger.

"I can't say how thankful I am that you caught him. He's been trouble ever since his sister started teaching him how to use weapons." He held out a hand. "I'm Miroku and you are?"

Inuyasha looked to Miroku's hand for a moment before taking it in his. "Yasha. So you know that kid?" He looked up to the second story of the store.

"Yeah, he's my wife's little brother. Good kid, just a pest at times." Miroku looked to the box still under Inuyasha's arm. "Can I have the box back?"

Suddenly realizing that he still it, Inuyasha handed the box over to Miroku. "Sorry about that. So what was the problem if you already knew him? Couldn't you get it back later?"

Miroku snorted. "That would have been highly unlikely. Kohaku has a tendency to hide things from us and he's pretty damn good at it too. He'd hide that box where no one could find it and we'd be at a loss." Miroku paused to think for a moment. "Yasha, you new in town?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?" Inuyasha crossed his arms.

"How'd you like a job?" Miroku asked, smiling widely at him.

Inuyasha's jaw fell open. A job? Was he kidding? "You're joking, right? Why would you want to give me a job?"

"Because you're fast!" Miroku said avidly. "I need someone to help with my messenger service. The last guy quit and I've been doing everything myself since. After seeing you catch Kohaku, I'm impressed. You're faster than anyone I've ever seen. So how about it, do you want the job?"

"Sure!" Inuyasha agreed. It wasn't everyday someone offered him a job. A messenger service could be fun. Plus, it didn't seem that hard to do.

* * *

>--

>>---

>>>----

You know, I was surprised to see that no one wanted to read this story, even when my other Inuyasha fan-fic was doing so well in the reviews. If you don't like this story, please tell me why. Is it the plot, the story arc? What? Now, I'm not asking for flames, just helpful criticism. Okay? Thank you for your continued support of 'The Captive Bride' and hopefully more in the future. Hope to see more from my readers, meaning you!

Cyancat (\/)


End file.
